Tuesday, May 27, 2008

For everyone out there trying to learn how to use flash, David Hobby, the lighting guru who runs Strobist, has come up with a set of DVD tutorials on how to use lighting to better enhance your photos. If you're in to using flash, or just learning, then I'm sure these will be the DVDs for you!!! I'm planning on getting myself a set. But, if I had to guess, they will sell out FAST!! So jump over to the Strobist blog and place your order! You can check out the linkHERE.

Saturday, May 24, 2008

Two of my favorite photographers and lighting gurus, Joe McNally and David Hobby (from the blog Strobist) were in Dubai doing seminars and were cool enough to video one of the shoots they did from the desert. Its always entertaining to watch either of these guys work, and they both come up with such creative lighting techniques. Be sure to check out the SB-800 "flash tree", too cool!

You can read about the trip from Joe's post HERE and David's post HERE.

Friday, May 23, 2008

(just in case there was any doubt, the photo above is by Ansel Adams)=)

When someone says "great photographer" the first name to pop in my mind is, and always will be, Ansel Adams. He is one of my favorite photographers of all time and probably my favorite landscape photographer. His style is easily recognizable around the world and he is probably best known for his black & white images of the American West, particularly of Yosemite National Park.

Sunday, May 18, 2008

I found a great article on creating digital signatures for your photos! This link was posted by David Ziser over at his amazing blog, Digital Pro Talk. Basically, it allows you to create a digital signature from your own hand-written signature---pretty cool, huh? Its a fairly simple technique provided that you have Photoshop and David has been gracious enough to post a video on how to do it!!! You can watch the video by clicking HERE Just scroll down to you see the blog entry entitled "Easy John Henry - Photoshop Tutorial" and click play.

Thursday, May 1, 2008

I heard some negative comments the other day about Flickr and I about flipped out of my chair! I absolutely love Flickr and can't imagine anyone who has any common sense and non-elite-ism not liking it! Why do I love Flickr? Oh let me count the ways:

1. The functionality rules! I've been putting photos into various galleries now for several years and I have found none that are as easy and fulfilling to use.

2. The Flickr community is fantastic! You have an international group of people of all skill-sets, mind-sets and abilities from across the globe! Top that! Anyone? I dare you.

3. I've made a lot of new friends on Flickr and enjoyed immensely the spectacular and some not-so spectacular works I've viewed. Talk about free inspiration; its all there!

4. You don't have to be a pro to share your works and there are people from all walks of life who might enjoy a photo that you thought was just so-so.

5. The learning experience! I have learned so much in my less-than-a-year membership on Flickr, from lighting techniques, post processing tips and tricks, compositional styles, composites, camera settings and more. Its a never ending cycle of free learning if you just take the time.

6. Recognition. Everyone likes to get comments about their work, even constructive criticism. I've had soooo many nice comments about my work that it makes all the effort I've gone to putting photos up there well worth the trouble. Also from time-to-time, I admit I have posted a photo that I didn't think was top-notch, and you know what? Someone gave me a nice comment about it! How about that? Also, I have never, ever received a rude or snide comment from anyone. Lord knows I probably deserved one or two.

7. Ease of use. Not just for uploading photos but simply for viewing. I love to share photos with my family and friends and I can't think of a better way. Since I shoot digital, and hundreds of pics a week, I couldn't possibly print them all, so Flickr has been the key for me.

8. It looks good and it works

9. The groups and forums rule! I've found so many interesting groups about particular types of photos. There are groups for every type of photography you can think of and forums to go with it.

10. Its not ran by elitist snobs. (At least I've never ran across one)

Ok, I don't mean to rant on my blog but I found it necessary to do so. No photos for this post but I'll get back on the band wagon with the next one.

Oh, and by the way, check out Flickr for yourself! Its the best photographic gallery on the net.

About John

John is an award winning, published photographer from the Louisville, Kentucky area.
John specializes in portrait photography of all genres, commercial and editorial photography. John also offers off camera flash photography workshops and private instruction to all skill levels.
To contact John, click on the Contact link above!